Nearly 48 leaders gathered in Yerevan on 4 May 2026 for the 8th European Political Community summit, titled "Building the Future: Unity and Stability in Europe." The event was co-chaired by European Council President António Costa and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Major leaders attended, including French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
A significant moment came when Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived as the first non-European leader ever invited to an EPC meeting. His invitation was announced only on 28 April. Carney announced 270 million Canadian dollars in military aid for Ukraine and held bilateral meetings with several European leaders.
The summit's main topics were Russia's war on Ukraine and the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. A major concern overshadowed discussions: the United States announced it would withdraw approximately 5,000 troops from Germany. This announcement worried European leaders who depend on American military presence for security.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte acknowledged that Europe had "heard the message" from Washington. However, some European countries, including France, Spain and the United Kingdom, refused to allow U.S. forces unrestricted use of their bases for operations against Iran.
For Armenia, hosting this summit was historically significant. The country has been moving away from Russian influence, and the international gathering demonstrated its growing ties with Europe. The event showed that Europe was attempting to strengthen its independence and unity during uncertain times.